This janitor put all five of his children through college for free

College is expensive—everyone knows that. But private colleges are pricier than most, as there are no separate options for in-state and out-of-state tuition. Boston College, for example, is a private school, and the tuition there costs $49,324 a year. But Fred Vautour made sure all five of his children got to go there—for free. How? He worked there as a janitor.

First of all, though Boston College’s tuition might be “just” $49,324, the true cost of attending B.C. is actually $65,620. This includes room and board and other fees. Vautour’s job benefits knocked $51,000 off that annual price tag. The scholarships his kids earned took care of most of the rest. In the end, each child’s college education cost him only $3,000 a year.

Let us reiterate: Getting his kids to attend B.C. for free saved him at least $700,000. Let’s all take a moment of silence and awe for that fact.

Okay. Moving on. Vautour, now 62, has been working the graveyard shift at Boston College as a custodial member for the last 15 years. This May, his fifth child graduated from the college with a degree in nursing. “It kind of gives you the tingles,” Vautour told The Boston Globe. “We became a big BC alumni family.”

Vautour told AOL that he took the job for the benefits, rather than the wages—he makes around $60,000 a year, which isn’t enough to send five children to college. “It gave me a reason to be here,” Vautour told the Boston Globe. “I used to joke with the vice president that I’d actually work for nothing because my kids are here because of that perk. I could care less if they even gave me a raise because my kids came here.”

During his time working as a janitor at Boston College, his kids would often drop in to say “hi” as he worked the graveyard shift. Although sometimes they would also drop in to give him laundry to take home, he says.

But ultimately, the kids admire Vautour and his work ethic. “He is so passionate about work and helping us be the best people we can be,” his son Michael told AOL.

You can watch an AOL interview with Vautour below:

What would you do to ensure your kids the best possible education?